PENGUIN!

Today an emperor penguin showed up at LDB! It was first sighted near Willy Field by day shifters on their way home. But for night shift it came right out to to the balloon base. I don’t want to judge day shift to harshly, but I think I smell better than they do. I said it.

Edit: penguin left before the day shift arrived. Smell theory confirmed.

Bow before Emperor Penguin!

Picking at itself

Bending over

Time for a belly slide

Other photographers

Barth and Jamil

Sasha and the Penguin

Lorenzo, penguin, apple core

He was in the galley

Ed shows up later

And, naturally, joins the fun

Sliding in front of white island

Looking around

Penguin and sky

Fin-out sliding

Over a hill

Off into the white

Goodbye, penguin friend. I'll miss you

Bill twirls

While experimenting with different techniques

Bill's first toss

Jon winds up

Graceful release

This turned out to be the longest throw

Changing tehnique

Results in somewhat less forward motion

Spectators

Sasha throws

And she tries twirling briefly too

Jamil's toss

Sean has a more side-arm style

John H throws overhand

This is physically impressive, but not the most effective

I prepare myself

Wind up

And launch straight at Cynthia

Against whom I bear no grudges. Please believe me

John R goes next

I like his style

If I ever do this again, I'll try this way

Ed's turn

And release

A very high toss, Ed buried the trunnion deepest in the snow

Last of all, Jeff joins in

SPIDER group photo

Since we were all gathered outside on a gorgeous day

Jump photo

Only one injury sustained (sorry, Barth)

Obligatory Mt Erebus group shot

With almost-obligatory bad lighting, since this always happens at a bad time